


The Salutation

by Small_Hobbit



Category: Lewis (TV), Robin Hood (BBC 2006)
Genre: M/M, Walk Into A Bar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-15
Updated: 2013-11-15
Packaged: 2018-01-01 16:26:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Small_Hobbit/pseuds/Small_Hobbit
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Guy of Gisborne walks into a bar and meets James Hathaway.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Salutation

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the December 2013 round of Into a Bar on LiveJournal.
> 
> If there are any questions about how Guy can cope in this new world, the tunnel has more properties than time travel.

Guy didn’t recognise the particular tunnel under the castle, but with the sheriff’s guards pursuing him, he wasn’t going to baulk at the chance of escape.  There were several tunnels and it was quite possible that he had lost track of where he was as he twisted and turned to put some distance between himself and his pursuers.

He jogged down the tunnel, trying not to give himself away with loud footfalls, but was surprised that he couldn’t hear anyone following.  The tunnel seemed longer than he had expected, but there was no way he was going back; regardless of whether or not any of the guards had entered it, there would no doubt be some in the passage that led to it.

He emerged into the daylight and blinked.  It was still overcast, but the tunnel, if anything, had seemed darker than they usually were.  He looked around him and stopped in surprise.  An area which he would have expected to have a few sullen peasants was bustling with people.  And the clothes they were wearing were much brighter than he normally saw, more akin to those worn by peoples from the East.

Guy looked nervously around, but no-one seemed to be taking any notice of him.  He looked up and saw the sign for the Salutation Inn and, grateful to see something he recognised, headed towards it.  Once inside, he tried to see if he had any coins, feeling in need of a drink.  Someone tried to push past him, muttering something about ‘they were gasping for a drink, even if he wasn’t’.  Guy thought about pushing back, but didn’t want to draw attention to himself; it was quite possible that the sheriff would have spies even in this slightly odd reality.  Instead he moved to one side and bumped into a table, nearly causing the bloke sitting there to spill his drink.

The man in question glanced up and looked closely at Guy.  Guy thought about making his escape, but a group of green clad men had come in and they would have delayed his departure.  He looked back, hoping that by glaring sufficiently the man would return his attention to his drink.  It didn’t work.

“Are you okay?” the man asked.  “You seem rather concerned about something.”

“No, I’m fine.  Today’s not going quite as I expected.”

“Same for me.  Name’s Hathaway.  There’s space at this table if you’re looking for somewhere to sit.”

Guy felt in the pouch on his belt, trying to find a stray coin hidden there.  Momentarily, he regretted giving his last pennies to Much, who had given them to a young widow with two small children to feed, but the thought didn’t last.  He shrugged his shoulders instead and turned to leave.

“Thank you.  But I think I’ll be going.  I had hoped to meet a mate who owed me a drink, but he’s not here and I’m skint.”

“Let me buy you a drink.”

Guy swung back.  “I don’t need your charity.”

“I could do with some company; someone to talk to for a few minutes.  That’s all.”

“Okay then.”

Hathaway stood up.  “What’ll you have?”

“A mug of ale.”

Hathaway nodded and returned, carrying two pints of Hobgoblin.  He passed one across to Guy and the two men sat down at the table.  Not wishing to explain his own presence, Guy decided to seize the initiative.

“So how come you’re on your own?”

“I came to a conference with my boss.  We were supposed to stay until tomorrow, but he got called back, leaving me to stay on.”

“You didn’t want to stay?”

“Not on my own, no.”

“What’s so frightening about this, um, conference, that you didn’t want to face it by yourself?”

“It’s not the conference that’s the problem; it’s a standard discussion on pol, er, policies and procedures.   It’s just that for once we had a chance of some time together.  It’s been so busy lately that we never seem to grab more than the odd hour and we have to be careful when we’re at work, so coming to this conference gave us a great opportunity for more time together.”

Hathaway looked across at another table at which two men were sitting close together, clearly oblivious to anything else going on around them.  Guy followed his look and nodded.

“Are you not allowed to be together normally then?” he asked.

“Oh, there’s no problem outside work.  The trouble is that at the moment neither of us seems to have much time when we’re not at work.”

“Maybe you should make time.”

Both men looked up at the sounds of a commotion and a rather drunken voice saying “Make your mind up whether you’re going in or out, mate.”

Guy smiled.  “Much, over here!”

Much hurriedly made his way over to join them.  “Where have you been?  We’ve been looking everywhere for you.  Robin’s told the others to head back to the forest, but I wasn’t leaving you behind.  And then I found this strange tunnel.”

“Yes,” Guy said.  “There’s something very strange about that tunnel.”

“Is this your friend,” Hathaway asked.  “The one who owes you a drink?”

Guy laughed.  “He’s my friend, but he’s got even less money than I have.”

Much had been distracted by the sandwiches that he could see on the adjoining table.  His longing to be able to share them was palpable.

“In which case,” Hathaway added “Can I buy you both another drink and get us all some sandwiches.  I’m not sure who you are but you’ve made me feel a lot better.”

“We can’t stay long,” Much muttered.

“Just long enough to eat something?” Guy asked.

“Definitely.”

*   *   *

As soon as they had finished the sandwiches, Much and Guy stood up.

“Thank you,” Guy said.

“It’s been my pleasure,” Hathaway replied.  “I doubt I’ll see you again, so I’ll wish you both all the best.”

As they left the pub, Much, who had been looking around said, “There are many men here who are holding hands with each other.  Do you think we could do so, too, just until we reach the tunnel?”

“Of course,” Guy said and the two of them headed back towards the castle.

 


End file.
